Do you hear that sound? No, it's not a bear growling. It's your stomach rumbling. To quiet your hunger pangs, you wander through crowded, unfamiliar streets, searching for food that will satisfy your hunger. You consider stopping in a typical burger joint or pizza place. But then you spot a small signboard with some unfamiliar foreign words and one that you recognize: café. After wandering through a maze of side streets and alleyways, you finally find the establishment. The place is small, but quaint. After ordering the grilled chicken panini, your food is placed on the bistro table. You take one bite and float off your bistro table. Your chicken panini isn't just food; it's a taste of heaven! In your hurry to gobble your food, you bump your knees against your bistro table several times.

Food and Money for ThoughtAnnually, restaurants gobble up huge amounts of money. In 2006, in the Unites States alone, over 200,000 full-serve restaurants earned almost $300 billion. About 250,000 fast food restaurants served up about $260 billion worth of business. The figures may seem high at first, but when you consider that food is an irreplaceable human need, you will find it's actually very reasonable.

Recent dining trends show that many consumers want food that is healthy, not just "fast." To meet this need, many fast food restaurants are offering nutritional information about their products. They are also serving up food with reduced fat.

Healthier ChoicesFast food chains will always remain popular because they let people in a hurry eat hurriedly prepared food in a hurry. For those who want a change of pace, however, several alternatives to fast food joints exist.

A pub is short for "public house." In this type of restaurant, you can fill your bistro table with as many bottles of Smirnoff as you can stomach. Pubs serve alcoholic drinks. Pubs that provide lodging are labeled as inns.

A diner is special type of restaurant building. It is constructed in one area, and then operated in a different location. These restaurants are particularly common in the Northeastern United States.

A bistro is small restaurant, particularly found in France, which serves average-priced classic meals on bistro tables. The term "bistro" could have originated from a Russian word that means "quickly."

A café is a type of cafeteria. It frequently includes an enclosed or outdoor area that continues onto the sidewalk or pavement. This area is where drinks and food are served on bistro tables and chairs.

Your Dining Experience Aside from the food of these restaurants, ambiance has a large influence on your dining experience. Originating from the French word "ambiance," ambiance refers to the feeling or mood that the restaurant creates. In fact, inedible objects such as bistro tables can even affect your eating experience more than the taste of the food itself.

Several factors contribute to a restaurant's ambiance. Traditional restaurant settings with features such as table service, indirect light, curtains, and relaxing music help you relish your meals more. Furniture such as bistro tables can make you feel at home! Moreover, you can consider a server's suggestions. But remember to always order what you want instead of the recommended cheddar coffee or banana worm bread. Keep in mind that menus are created to be temping. If you read a menu at a restaurant, you are twice as likely to eat dessert! Lastly, remember that fast music, bright lights, and colorful rooms can cause you to eat faster and enjoy your food less.

In today's fast-paced world, dining out is sometimes unavoidable. Dining in restaurants with amenities such as bistro tables, however, helps you slow down and enjoy the food that you chow down.